Rain and snow have eased most of Colorado's extreme drought conditions, but not southeastern Colorado reported Colorado Public Radio. And years of drought have taken their toil on the cattle industry.

Louis Foss has ranched in the area his whole life. The land is so dry, Foss says nothing is growing, and that includes grass- the primary source of feed for his cattle. The solution for Foss is to cut his herd. He sold 85 percent of his cattle at Winter Livestock Cattle Auction in La Junta.

“I sold off a lot of them, I didn’t sell ‘em all,” Foss said. “Tried to keep enough so I could build back up again.”

Many other ranchers in the area have done the same. John Campbell runs Winter Livestock Cattle Auction, and he says the effects of the sell out will be felt across the whole region’s economy for years to come.